


Dal Segno

by basophils



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Akihiko thinks about Ugetsu a lot, Canon Compliant, Domestic, M/M, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29495403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basophils/pseuds/basophils
Summary: Between the absences and the fights, they return to each other.
Relationships: Kaji Akihiko/Murata Ugetsu
Kudos: 11





	Dal Segno

Akihiko paused in the doorway, mildly surprised to find a figure with silky dark hair occupying the bed. “I’m home,” he tested sotto voce. No movement. Probably jetlagged. Akihiko hadn’t expected him back so soon. The competition only ended 2 days ago. The competition…

A smile tugged at his lips. Ugetsu had been brilliant. University exams had taken up the greater part of Akihiko’s last two weeks, but he had set up alerts for updates from the competition. Luckily, a particularly dedicated European fan with minimal regard for copyright had ripped and uploaded the CD recording of the final round.

Akihiko padded to the kitchen and set about making coffee. The midday sun cast a warm square lattice on the floor. Ugetsu’s perpetually erratic sleep schedule wasn’t an easy fix but Akihiko had tasked himself with at least keeping him from becoming completely nocturnal during their cohabitation. He carried the filled mugs to the bed. The proximity of the roasted aroma seemed to do the trick. A rustle and a turn.

“Welcome back,” Ugetsu murmured sleepily with a soft smile. “I should be telling you that,” Akihiko chuckled. “You didn’t text me that you were at the airport. Or that you were coming back early. I would’ve prepared something.” The last part may not have been true but he was in a teasing mood. Or he maybe he just wanted to see the other boy smile more.

Ugetsu snorted quietly. “You wouldn’t have,” but sat up and amiably accepted his mug. “Father had a change in schedule, so I didn’t have a reason to stay…” he stated matter-of-factly between blows of air across the surface of the liquid. Akihiko would’ve missed the pause if he hadn’t listened for it. A beat late. The meaning hung in the air.

Cancelled plans, again. Akihiko decided to move away from the subject. “Where’s the Strad?” he asked in what he hoped sounded like a natural transition. He looked pointedly at the single familiar violin case, unaccompanied by the first-place prize loan. “It’s with my manager in Europe. I’ll be going back soon enough for the tour.” Then, eyes crinkling as he watched for the response, “So you followed the competition. Did you like it?”

“Did I—” Akihiko all but spluttered. He drew a steadying breath. Ugetsu already knew the answer. He wasn’t being disingenuous, it was just his way of asking, “What did you think?” And probably also pushing Akihiko’s buttons. Akihiko had watched the recording, though, and was willing to give him everything he was asking for and more.

“Ugetsu” he began, turning to face him full on. Ugetsu’s eyes widened slightly, as though he hadn’t expected Aki to be serious. “It was the best interpretation of the violin concerto I’d ever heard.” He had hoped his expression conveyed his earnestness, but Ugetsu looked skeptical still. It was something Akihiko could never understand about the prodigy, how he could never hear his own perfection. “Akihiko…thanks for saying that. But—”

“But nothing.” Akihiko didn’t know what game he was playing anymore, but he was going to continue until he could make Ugetsu believe what he believed, feel what he felt when the pure tones from Ugetsu’s violin reverberated through all four chambers of his heart. He knew the audience felt it too, by the tears in their eyes and the rousing applause that filled the concert hall.

“Ugetsu, after you told me you chose the Sibelius Violin Concerto, I listened to every rendition. I listened to you practice. I listened to you _play_. I know I’m biased but I have a musician’s ears, too. That performance that you gave in the final round was better than Hahn’s.” Akihiko stopped to reassess. That was superlative, but it wasn’t a lie. Ugetsu regarded him for a moment, then laughed melodically. “Really Akihiko, you don’t need to say th—”

“No,” Akihiko cut him off again, and this time, he recognized that this was no longer something he could stop at will. Flashes of the performance played behind his eyes. Fingers moving nimbly across strings. Expert bow control producing an illusion of weightless, frictionless gliding. Knitted brows through furious ricochets. Really, Akihiko should have anticipated this. It was always the effect that Ugetsu had on him. “I’ll tell you why it was perfect.” And with gentle but firm pressure, he pushed Ugetsu onto his back. “Oh?” Ugetsu’s lips curved. There was a distinct glimmer in his brown eyes, which Akihiko met evenly. “Yes. Not only that, but I’ll show you.” The eyes narrowed. “So show me.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh I couldn't get these two out of my head after the movie. Anime-only, so apologies for any errors.
> 
> I imagined this to be pre-canon, so canon compliant I guess? Though it can be interpreted however you wish.
> 
> New to writing, please be kind!
> 
> \--
> 
> 1\. Competition - Queen Elisabeth Competition, held in Brussels  
> 2\. Piece - Violin Concerto in D Minor by Jean Sibelius  
> 3\. Title - Italian for “from the sign.” In music, repeat a passage starting from the sign


End file.
